TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Garcia Keys S. Carolina

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: November 2, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Freshman Stephen Garcia threw two touchdown passes and South Carolina piled on the problems for Tennessee and embattled coach Phil Fulmer with a 27-6 victory Saturday night.

The victory was just the fourth against the Vols for the Gamecocks (6-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference), who sent Tennessee (3-6, 1-5) to its second losing SEC record in the past four seasons.

A big reason was the heady play of Jefferson grad Garcia, who passed for 139 yards and his two scoring throws before a third-quarter knee injury sent him to the sidelines.

Gamecocks players ran to the student section when it was done, celebrating their first win vs. the Vols at home in 16 years.

NO. 2 ALABAMA 35,

ARKANSAS STATE 0

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Mark Ingram rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and Rashad Johnson scored on a 32-yard interception return in No. 2 Alabama's victory vs. Arkansas State.

The Crimson Tide (9-0) turned in a dominant all-around performance to set the stage for next week's showdown at No. 15 LSU, the type of game that had been a stumbling block for recent Bama teams.

Alabama, which can clinch the Southeastern Conference Western Division title with a win vs. LSU, managed its first shutout since a 17-0 win vs. Mississippi State on Nov. 5, 2005. The Tide allowed only 158 yards on 54 plays against Arkansas State (4-4), which had scored 83 points against Texas Southern and upset Texas A&M earlier this season.

NO. 15 LSU 35, TULANE 10

BATON ROUGE, La. - Charles Scott rushed for 114 yards and No. 15 LSU scored two touchdowns in 27 seconds late in the second quarter as the Tigers (6-2) routed Tulane (2-6).

Scott had 84 of his yards, including a 56-yard burst, to highlight an eight-play drive that put LSU (6-2) ahead 7-0 on its opening possession. But the Tigers, coming off a disheartening 52-38 loss to Georgia that left them two games behind Alabama in the SEC West standings, went flat until the final two minutes of the half.

Brandon LaFell's 14-yard scoring catch put LSU ahead 14-3 with 2:14 left. Then defensive end Rahim Alem stripped quarterback Joe Kemp on Tulane's next series, and LSU's Chris Hawkins returned the fumble 23 yards for a touchdown at the 1:47 mark.

ARKANSAS 30,

NO. 19 TULSA 23

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Dennis Johnson returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the third quarter, and Arkansas snapped No. 19 Tulsa's unbeaten run.

The Golden Hurricane (8-1) had a chance to tie it in the final minute, but David Johnson threw incomplete on fourth down from the Arkansas 7.

The Razorbacks (4-5) jumped ahead 17-0 in the first quarter, but Tulsa's prolific offense didn't stay quiet for long. Johnson threw for 322 yards and a touchdown, and Charles Clay scored a pair of TDs on the way to tying it at 23.

MISSISSIPPI 17, AUBURN 7

OXFORD, Miss. - Jevan Snead threw two touchdown passes, Cordera Eason rushed for 104 yards and Mississippi capitalized on a series of fourth-quarter mistakes by Auburn to beat the Tigers and move within a game of bowl eligibility.

With representatives of six bowls in attendance, Ole Miss converted Kodi Burns' second interception into a game-clinching touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a drive that was aided by three Auburn penalties.

It was third Southeastern Conference win for Ole Miss (5-4, 3-3) under first-year coach Houston Nutt, matching the total put up in three seasons under former coach Ed Orgeron. The win snapped a four-game losing streak to the Tigers (4-5, 2-4).

KENTUCKY 14,

MISSISSIPPI STATE 13

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Randall Cobb passed for one touchdown and rushed for another, and Kentucky blocked an extra-point try early in the fourth quarter to beat Mississippi State (3-6, 1-4).
Mississippi State kicker Adam Carlson also missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt with 7:16 remaining as Kentucky (6-3, 2-3) rallied from a 7-0 deficit to reach bowl eligibility.

In his first start, Cobb scored on a 5-yard touchdown run on the Wildcats' opening drive of the second half, then hit Maurice Grinter with a 3-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-7 lead later in the third.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT